Buffer



June 23, 1959 c. A. ANDERSON 2,391,684

` BUFFER Filed July 19, 1954 s sheets-sheet 1 ,l ,VT ..2 I 2 ND mm n /UK wm. v mm a f Q .vm mm," /Wclwjf m w Q u Hf/ /fv//V/ LHQN June 23, 1959 c. A. ANDERSON v 2,891,684

BUFFER Filed July 19, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l fnvenjpr:

Carflnerson.

June 23, 1959 c. A. ANDERSON v 2,891,684

BUFFER Filed July 19, 1954 3 Sheets-fSh'eet 3 InVen/ar: l] C/arlflnerson,

United States Patent 2,891,684 Patented June 23, 1959 hice BUFFER Carl A. Anderson, Chicago, Ill., assigner to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application July 19, 1954, Serial No. 444,321 7 Claims. (Cl. 213-221) This invention relates to buffers for railway equipment.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a friction buffer for railway equipment having preliminary free :spring travel followed by friction travel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buffer for railway equipment that is a completely encased unitary structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a buffer for railway equipment an improved arrangement for maintaining the buffer in proper alignment in operation.

Further objects of the invention not specifically mentioned here will be apparent from the description and claims which follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through the friction buffer, taken in a Vertical plane through the axis of the buffer;

Figure 2 is a rear end elevational view of the buffer partly broken away;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 3 3 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View through the casing, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the casing, taken along the line 5 5 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 6 6 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the cap shown in full and with the friction shoes and wedge omitted from the cap.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 7 7 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the inside follower in full.

Buffers for railway equipment mounted upon the frame of a railway vehicle such as a car, are employed to cushion shocks imposed upon the car during operation. Preferably such buffers are a unitary structure and contain within them devices such as resilient columns, friction clutches, and the like, for cushioning impacts delivered to the car during coupling `and during operation.

It is advantageous in buffers for this purpose to have a comparatively low initial resistance isuicient to cushion small impacts, such as are encountered in normal train operation, and to permit easy engagement of the links of screw couplers, commonly used in connection with buffers of this type. In addition to this initial cushioning, it is advantageous to provide additional cushioning resistance which builds up rapidly, thereby to cushion severe impacts imposed upon the device.

The buffer of the present invention provides a cap structure containing a resilient column and friction means as a unitary structure. The cap means telescopes into a casing wherein there vis provided a smaller resilient column and a suitable follower for vcoupling that column to the cap structure. The cap is assembled by telescoping it into the casing and then rotating the cap around its axis to interengage means on the cap and casing, thereby to hold the buffer ltogether* as a unitary structure. The buffer of the present invention includes an improved arrangement for preventing unwanted rotation of the cap with respect to the casing, thereby insuring that the casing and cap will remain locked together during operation.

The invention will be best understood from the accompanying drawings wherein the buffer is shown to consist of a cap A, preferably in the form of a hollow cylinder closed at one of its ends by an integral head 10 and containing witllin it a resilient column C, friction shoes D D D, and a wedge E, The cap structure so formed telescopes into a casing F within which is a second resilient column G, an inside `follower H, and a stop ange I formed integral with the casing.

As will be seen best in Figures l and 6, the cap A is provided with radially outwardly extending lugs 11 disposed at its rear or open end. The inside walls of the cap adjacent this end are tapered, as indicated at l2, and shaped as a hexagon to receive friction shoes D, D, and D of known design. The inner surfaces of these shoes are also tapered and the wedge E engages therewith in known manner. Projecting inwardly from the end of the cap A are lugs 16 with which radially outwardly projecting lugs 17 on the wedge are engaged to hold the cap, resilient column, shoes and wedge together as a yunitary structure.

As will be seen in Figures l and 5, the forward open end of the casing F contains thickened wall portions 20 extending inwardly and terminating in shoulders 21 against which the lugs 11 on the cap are positioned.

Between the thickened wall portions 2t) are grooves or guideways 22 through which the lugs pass as the cap A is being telescoped into the casing F. At the ends of the shoulders 21 are raised portions 23 which are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the lugs l1, and when the lugs 11 are registered with the shoulders 21, the raised portions 23 lie alongside of the lugs 11 to maintain proper alignment of the cap A with respect to the casing F.

The rear end of the casing F is closed by an end wall 30 containing a centrally located keyhole slot 31 for a purpose presently to appear. Mounting anges 32 project laterally from the rear end of the casing F and contain bolt holes 33 through which bolts or studs are extended to mount the buffer upon the framework of the railway vehicle. The stop flange I is annular and extends completely around the casing, being reinforced by ribs 34, best seen in Figures l and 4. The stop ilange I serves to divide the casing F into front and rear cavities, in the rear one of which resilient column G is located.

In the embodiment of the invention shown by way of example, the resilient column G consists of a coil spring and the back wall 30 of the casing F is provided with an inwardly extending boss or flange 35 which facilitates maintaining the spring centered in the casing F. If desii-ed, the resilient column G may consist of aso-called rubber spring within the teachings of the invention.

Located within the casing F, forwardly of the stop flange l, are guide bosses 36, on opposite sides of which radially outwardly projecting lugs 37 on the follower H are registered. The guides 36 and lugs 37 hold the follower against rotation around the axis of the casing F, but at the same time permit the follower to movefreely longitudinally of the casing.

Centrally located in the rear face of -the follower H is a boss 3S, which is circular and fits within the resilient column G to maintain that spring properly centered with respect to the follower H.

The rear face of this boss contains a keyhole slot 39 for a purpose presently to appear.

The forward face of the follower H contains a boss 4@ which, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, is square in shape and projects into a square opening il in the rear face of the wedge EA The interengagement of the boss il@ and socket opening fil prevents rotation of the wedge with respect to the follower H, and hence also with respect to the casing F. The wedge E and friction shoes D-D-D are of known design and it will be appreciated that the locking of the wedge against rotation around the axis of the cap A serves also to lock the cap A against rotation around its axis. vv'hile the square configuration of boss 4u and opening il is a preferred form, the use of other shapes, such as triangular' or polygonal, is contemplated within the teachings of the invention.

ln assembling the device, the cap structure is assembled as a separate unit by being placed head lowermost on a suitable support and a resilient column C inserted therein. Shoes D are then put in place and pressure applied to force the shoes inwardly to compress the resilv 1t column C. The shoes are forced inwardly far enough to permit the insertion of the wedge E and rotation thereof to bring the lugs 17 thereon into registration with the lugs lo on the cap. FThe pressure is then removed and the resilient column allowed to expand lo force the lugs together in tight engagement, thereby forming a unitary structure.

The casing is placed with its rear end down upon a suitable support and a resilient column G and follower H are placed in position therein. A suitable tool having a T-shaped head is then inserted through the keyhole slot 3l in the rear wall of the casing F and the keyhole slot 3s` in the follower H, and then turned through 90 to lock the tool into the follower. Tension is then applied to the tool to move the follower H towards the stop ange l against the resistance of the resilient column G. The cap assembly is then telescoped into the casing with the lugs il passing through the slots or guidcways 22, and after the telescoping movement has continued far enough for the lugs to clear the raised portions 23 of the shoulders 2l, the cap is rotated to bring the lugs ll into registration with the shoulders 2l. The rectangular opening 4l in the wedge will then be aligned with the rectangular boss 4G on the follower and when tension is removed from the tool, resilient column G forces the follower forward into the position shown in Figure l, thereby to lock the unit together and to prevent rotation of the cap with respect to the casing. Resilient columns C and G are both maintained under compression normally, insuring retention of the parts in the position shown during operation of the buffer.

ln operation, impacts imposed upon the buffer by engagement with the head lll move the cap A and follower l-l rearwardly of the casing against the comparatively low resistance of the resilient column G. This free spring movement of the buffer continues until the follower H engages the stop flange l, Shortly before follower H engages stop flange l, the resistance of column G will have built up to the normal resistance of column C and further movement compresses both columns with the result that the free spring travel resistance blends into the friction travel resistance. Further travel of the cap A, after follower H engages stop flange l, continues to force the wedge E and shoes D inwardly of the cap A against the resistance of resilient column C, which resistance builds up rapidly due to the frictional engagement of the shoes with the casing. Such friction travel of the casing may continue until the rear face of the wedge E is aligned with the rear face of the cap A, at which time the cap A will engage the follower directly and the buffer will go solid. Upon removal of the force that telescopes the cap into the casing, expansion of the resilient columns returns the buffer to its normal position, as shown in Figure 1.

Thus it will be seen that the buffer of the present invention comprises a completely encased unitary mechanism in which initial travel is against free spring resistance and further travel is against friction resistance. Assembly and disassembly of the buffer are easily accomplished and proper alignment of the parts during operation is definitely maintained by interengaging locking devices.

While l have chosen to show my invention by illustrating and describing a preferred embodiment of it, I have done so by way of example only, as there are many ncations and adaptations which can be made by one sltilled in the art within the teachings of the invention.

Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what i consider new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What l claim is:

l. A friction ybuffer for railway equipment comprising: a self-contained friction unit consisting of a cap containing a resilient column, friction shoes and a wedge; a casing into which said friction unit telescopes; a resilient column in said casing; an inside follower in said casing disposed between said latter column and said wedge and movable longitudinally in the casing, interengaging means between said casing and follower for preventing rotation of the follower with respect to the casing; a shoulder in the casing; impacts on said buffer moving said cap into the casing, thereby to move the follower towards said shoulder and thereby compress said latter column until the follower engages said shoulder, after which further movement of the cap moves said wedge and friction shoes into the cap to compress said first column; interengaging means between said follower and wedge for preventing rotation of said friction unit during movement; and interengaging means between said casing and cap for limiting movement of the cap outwardly of the casing, said columns being maintained under compression to hold said interengaging means together thereby to hold the lbuffer together as a unitary structure.

2. A buffer for railway equipment comprising: an openended casing adapted to be mounted upon the equipment; a resilient column within said casing; an inside follower within the casing movable longitudinally thereof and against which the column bears; means integral with the casing and interengaging means integral with the follower for preventing rotation of the follower with respect to the casing; a cap comprising a hollow cylindrical portion and a head portion closing one end of the cylindrical portion and projecting radially therebeyond; a resilient column within said cap; friction shoes within said cap at the open end thereof; a wedge engaging said shoes; interengaging means on said cap and wedge for holding the cap, co1- umn, shoes and wedge together as a unit, said cap unit being tclescoped into the open end of the casing; interengaging means on the cap and casing for limiting movement of the cap outwardly of the casing; and interengaging means on the wedge and follower for preventing relative rotation therebetween, said resilient columns being maintained under compression to maintain said interengaging means in interengaging positions.

3. A `buffer for railway equipment comprising: an open-ended casing adapted to be mounted upon the equipment; a resilient column within said casing; an inside follower within the casing movable longitudinally thereof and against wi ch the column bears; interengaging means between the casing and follower, consisting of guide bosses projecting radially inwardly from the walls of the casing and pairs of spaced apart lugs projecting radially outwardly from the follower, between which lugs the guide bosses are positioned to prevent rotation of the follower with respect to the casing; a cap comprising a hollow cylindrical portion and a head portion `closing one end of the cylindrical portion and projecting radially therebeyond; a resilient column within said cap; friction shoes within said cap at the open end thereof; a wedge engaging said shoes; interengaging means on said capand wedge for holding the cap, column, shoes and wedge together as a unit, said cap unit being telescoped into the open end of the casing; interengaging means on the cap and casing for limiting movement of the cap outwardly of the casing; and interengaging means on the wedge and follower for preventing relative rotation therebetween, said resilient columns being maintained under compression to maintain said interengaging means in interengaging positions.

4. A bulfer as specified in claim 3, in which the interengaging means between the inside follower and the wedge consists of a multi-sided socket in one of the members and a multi-sided lug integral with the other member .projecting into the socket to prevent relative rotation of the members.

5. A buffer as specified in claim 3, in which the interengaging means between the inside follower and the wedge consists of a multi-sided socket in the wedge and a multisided lug integral with the follower, projecting into the socket to prevent relative rotation of the wedge and follower.

6. A buffer for railway equipment comprising: a generally cylindrical metallic casing open at its forward end and closed at its rearward end; mounting flanges projecting laterally from the rear end of the casing; a ange projecting radially inwardly of the casing near the closed end thereof; a resilient column within the casing abutting the closed end thereof and extending forwardly beyond said inwardly extending flange; an inside follower disposed within the casing forwardly of said ange against which said resilient column bears, which follower is movable longitudinally in the casing; interengaging means on the casing and follower for preventing rotation of the follower around the axis of the casing; shoulders within the casing forwardly of said follower terminating a thicker portion of the walls thereof that extends rearwardly from the open end of the casing; a cap comprising a hollow cylindrical rear portion telescoped into the casing and a head plate closing the forward end of the cylindrical portion and projecting laterally therefrom; lugs on the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the cap projecting radially outwardly therefrom, there being Igrooves in the thicker wall portion of the casing through which the lugs pass as the cap is telescoped into the casing, said cap being then rotated to register the lugs with the shoulders, thereby to hold the cap in the casing; a resilient column in said cap; friction shoes in the cap against which the column bears; a wedge engaging said shoes; interengaging means on the Wedge and inside follower for locking the cap, column, shoes and wedge against rotation, thereby to lock the buffer together as a unit, said columns being maintained under compression to maintain said interengaging means interengaged.

7. A buffer for railway equipment comprising: an open-ended casing adapted to be mounted upon the equipment; a resilient column within said casing; an inside follower within the casing movable longitudinally thereof and against which the column bears; interengaging means between the casing and follower for preventing rotation of the follower with respect to the casing; a cap comprising a hollow cylindrical portion and a head portion closing one end of the cylindrical portion and projecting radially therebeyond; a resilient column within said cap; friction shoes within said cap at the open end thereof; a wedge engaging said shoes; interengaging means on said cap and wedge for holding the cap, column, shoes and wedge together as a unit, said cap unit being telescoped into the open end of the casing; interengaging means on said cap and casing, consisting of shoulders on the inner face of the casing wall and lugs projecting radially outwardly from the cap and engaging the shoulders, which shoulders have portions extending alongside of the lugs to keep the lugs centered upon the shoulders thereby to limit movement of the cap outwardly of the casing; and interengaging means on the wedge and follower for preventing relative rotation therebetween, said resilient columns being maintained under compression to maintain said interengaging means in interengaging positions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,667,799 OConnor May 1, 1928 1,689,291 OConnor Oct. 30, 1928 2,430,505 Haseltine Nov. 11. 1947 2,448,138 Dath Aug. 31, 1948 2,532,013 Dath Nov. 28, 1950 2,598,762 Dath lune 3, 1952 

